Oh, thanks, Middle East

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The Egyptian Army has already gotten half of its country angry at the United States for supporting it in the old Mubarak days. Now it’s opened fire on its fellow citizens who happen to be pro-democracy supporters, so they’re even angrier with us. And the remainder of Egypt’s citizens thought because we weren’t demanding that the Islamic Brotherhood and its President Morsi stop governing their way that we supported the religious side of the argument the country is having with itself.

Meanwhile the Israelis, never loath to tick off their American friends, have announced they’re going to build a whole new round of settlements in East Jerusalem just as the first round of peace talks between themselves and the Palestinians in years is about to kick off. As one might expect, the Palestinians aren’t too pleased with that.

There are times I think the US would be better off just washing its hands of the entire region.

3 Comments

  1. I am genuinely curious – when do you NOT think we should wash our hands of the whole region? I can’t recall a time when we’ve done more good than harm to our own long-term interests, let alone anyone else’s. What am I missing?

  2. I remember thinking some 20+ years ago that the only real solution to the Israel-Palestine situation was to build a wall around the whole area, stop talking to either of them, wait 20 years and see who was still standing. Doubtless this would be considered callous…

  3. We can’t do it, though. There are too many domestic interests who’d raise too much hell if we tried to just walk away. Any American President would hear “American Century, wealthiest nation, biggest military, blah blah blah” from the likes of Bill Krystol, John McCain, at least a dozen think tanks, Christian evangelicals, humanitarian groups, and let’s not forget AIPAC. Remember Bush Senior’s complaint back in 1991 when he refused to back a loan guarantee Israel and its friends wanted? “I’m one lonely little guy” up against “some powerful political forces” made up of “a thousand lobbyists on the Hill.”

    It’s only gotten worse since then.

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